The Sunburn Festival in Sewri ended in a dramatic gold theft when a 24-year-old bouncer, Vicky Gaikwad, allegedly stole a gold bracelet worth Rs3 lakh from a doctor attending the event between December 19 and 21. Fearing he would be caught, Gaikwad buried the jewelry in a pit outside the venue.
Gaikwad, working through a private contracting agency, was positioned inside the VVIP Gold enclosure, where the doctor was enjoying the show on December 21. During the festival, the doctor had placed the bracelet in his trouser pocket, but it went missing along with Rs30,000 in cash when he left for his hotel.
A complaint was immediately lodged at Sewri Police Station, prompting a probe led by Assistant Police Inspector Snehal Singh Khule. CCTV footage revealed several bouncers near the complainant, and Gaikwad gave contradictory statements, raising suspicion. After sustained interrogation, he confessed to the crime.
Police said that after stealing the bracelet, Gaikwad panicked and buried it in a small pit outside the venue, intending to retrieve it later. Acting on his disclosure, the authorities recovered the 60-gram gold bracelet and formally arrested him.
Investigations are ongoing to determine whether Gaikwad has been involved in similar thefts at other events.
